Registration extended to participate in agri-food high-level mission to Vietnam and Singapore
03 December 2021, EU: In light of pandemic-related travel restrictions affecting the region, Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski decided to postpone his high-level mission to Singapore and Vietnam, originally announced for March/April 2022.
Led by the Commissioner, a business delegation of senior representatives from the EU agri-food sector will be visiting Vietnam and Singapore on 10-16 July 2022, provided that the sanitary situation allows it. Accordingly, the registration to participate in the high-level mission is still open for an extended period until 20 December 2021.
The high-level mission aims to give European producers’ representatives the opportunity to meet not only potential partners from local markets but also representatives of the agri-food sector from the whole region. The mission’s programme will include informative seminars on the characteristics of the local markets and consumer trends, retail and site visits, and networking opportunities.
The programme will take place in reverse order (due to a public holiday in Singapore), starting in Hanoi (Vietnam) from 10 to 12 July, Ho Chi Minh from 12 to 14 July and ending in Singapore on 14 to 16 July 2022. The flights and hotels costs have to be covered by participants but all business events from the official programme will be offered free of charge.
Interested applicants are still welcome to register until 20 December 2021. All applicants who may have already registered will be contacted by the organisers to reconfirm their interest for the rescheduled dates.
Background
Singapore is an open country that is keen to diversify its agri-food trading partners and has engaged with a number of EU countries to source new products. The EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) provides for zero tariffs on all agri-food products.
Meanwhile, although Vietnam is still a developing economy, it is projected to have strong economic growth in the coming years. It is going through a process of urbanisation and change in tastes and lifestyle, so consumption of diverse agri-food products is expected to increase across the board for most product categories. The entry into force of the EU-Vietnam FTA on 1 August 2020 will level the playing field over time and give EU exporters an advantage.